70 EXTINCT BRITISH ANIMALS. 



inches long by four and a half inches in its greatest 

 breadth. 



In 1865 Sir Philip Egerton met with a small 

 fragment of an tier in a peat hag in Ross-shire, which, 

 according to Professor Boyd Dawkins, " beyond all 

 doubt belonged to this animal. " 



The last instance which we shall notice of the dis- 

 covery of Reindeer remains in Scotland has reference 

 to the county of Caithness ; and we take this last 

 because it leads directly to a consideration of the 

 historical evidence which is to be found concerning 

 the former existence of this animal in ScotlancT, and 

 which evidence relates exclusively to this country. 



Dr. Smith, in the memoir referred to, has de- 

 scribed at some length the ancient circular forts or 

 "brochs" which are to be met with in some parts of 

 Scotland, and which in several instances have yielded 

 such very interesting relics of pre-historic man. 

 Amongst these is the " broch " of Yarhouse, in 

 Caithness, about five miles to the sotith of Wick, on 

 the estate of Thrumster, and at the south end of 

 the Loch of Yarhouse. Of this Dr. Smith has given 

 a very full description, from notes by Mr. Anderson 

 and Mr. Robert Shearer, of Thrumster, who care- 

 fully examined it, and his remarks are illustrated by 

 a ground plan, which renders his account the more 

 instructive. When the examination of this "broch" 

 first commenced, it was to all appearance nothing 

 but a grass-covered mound, and was situated on 

 what had once besn an island, a fosse about twenty 

 feet broad having separated it from the land. It 



